OnePlus One

The first phone from Chinese company OnePlus is a high-end Cyanogen-powered device for $299

Following an intense campaign of online hype, OnePlus announced the OnePlus One on April 23, 2014. The OnePlus One is a 5.5-inch smartphone with high-end internals — a Snapdragon 801 CPU, 3GB of RAM, 1080p display and 13-megapixel Sony camera — with a highly competitive price point of $299 for the 16GB model. Black and white colors are available, along with a range of customizable textures to choose from, including denim and Kevlar.

On the software side, the OnePlus One runs CyanogenMod 11S, based on Android 4.4 KitKat. The new version of what was once just a custom ROM for Android phones introduces a new, flattened UI and updated camera and gallery apps with enhanced features. One of the biggest changes in CM 11S is the completely rewritten theme engine, which lets users pick-and-choose which parts of themes they want to apply to completely customize their experience.

Launch markets for the OnePlus One include Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, UK and the USA, though you'll need an invite to purchase the device. OnePlus also regularly offers contests and other ways to get a chance to buy the OnePlus One.